


Smaller Than Expected

by Stormlyht



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Fluff, Gen, child!castiel, deaging, rearranging of S4ep1
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-30
Updated: 2014-01-30
Packaged: 2018-01-10 13:05:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1160070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stormlyht/pseuds/Stormlyht
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean summons the creature named "Castiel" to "thank him" for raising him from hell, but what he sees is a little smaller than he expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Smaller Than Expected

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [SPN Reverse Bang](http://spn-reversebang.livejournal.com/) on Live Journal.
> 
> Artist was: [Jennilah on Tumblr](http://jennilah.tumblr.com/)  
> [Jennilah on LJ](http://jennilah.livejournal.com/)  
> [Art Link!](http://jennilah.livejournal.com/650.html)
> 
> Beta was: [Moondansr on Live Journal](http://moondansr.livejournal.com/) or [Moondansr on AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/moondansr/pseuds/moondansr)
> 
> The art was awesome to work with, just loved creating an idea from this piece, thank you so much for creating it because I loved writing for it. M, I adore you, thank you so much for helping me through the fic so I got the voices the way I wanted them. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

[](http://imgur.com/zEyUJYx)

 

Dean heard the thunder, saw the lightning, readied his gun and waited. There were thumps on the ceiling, lots of noise, and finally the doors burst open. Light bulbs shattered and the room smelled of ozone. His hands clenched at the shotgun tightly and he took a breath. Whoever was coming in that door had raised Dean from Hell, and melted a seer’s eyes. They were powerful, and Dean wasn’t going to forget that.

A small figure emerged from the side of the door frame and eyed Dean shyly. He wore a suit, dress shoes and a beige trench coat, all of it a bit big for him. His tie was obviously tied wrong, and he had big, blue, innocent eyes, and he looked about nine or ten. "Hello?"

Who the hell was this? Dean lowered the shotgun slightly. "Hey. What are you doing here?" he growled out, glancing behind the figure to see if there was someone else outside.

The boy looked off in the same direction as Dean for a moment, then looking back, he came into the room slowly, stopping to clasp his hands behind his back and shift a bit from one foot to the other. His feet turned in and he shuffled one of them a bit. "I came to meet you in person."

"You came to meet me in person? Who are you then?" Dean asked, lifting the shotgun again. Was he a demon? Was he something else?

His eyes widened. "Castiel!"

"Yeah..." Dean trailed off and looking the boy over. "Not likely, try again."

His lips fell into a pout. "But I am Castiel, I am."

"Don't work yourself into a tantrum now, kid," Bobby said, putting down his weapon to go over and take a closer look. He bent down to the child’s level and the kid jumped back a bit. Then the kid took two fingers and touched Bobby on the forehead. Bobby's eyes fell closed and he slumped to the ground.

"What the hell did you just do to Bobby!?" Dean half shouted, half cried. He rushed forward, gun still aimed at the boy. Was Bobby still alive? Was he hurt?

The boy backed away from Bobby quickly. "I just knocked him out. I came here to see you, not him."

"Look, you're a kid. Who I called to me is some sort of super bad assed power, and you can't be that," Dean explained, finally over to Bobby. He pressed his fingers against Bobby's neck and felt for the heartbeat. With a sigh he found what he was looking for and the steady thump thump made him feel so much better.

"I'm an Angel of the Lord, of course I'm powerful," the little boy said, straightening up, his trench coat pooling around him.

"You're..." Dean raised his eyebrows at the boy. "Yeah... Okay, you obviously need to get back home, so... where is home?"

"The garrison is like home, but my real home is in Heaven." The boy moved closer to Dean. "You should be nicer you know. I gripped you tight and raised you from perdition. It should mean something."

"Thanks for that, but you'll understand if I don't believe it." Dean frowned and considered. "Look, it's sweet that you think you're an angel, really. I don't believe in angels obviously."

The boy stomped his foot on the ground. "I am though!" There was a flash of lightning and a loud crack of thunder. The boy leaped at Dean, putting his arms around Dean's waist and shivering a bit. "That thunder is much more frightening than it should be."

"Uh..." Dean blinked and looked down at the boy. He was scared of the thunder that he had created? That... wait, did he create the thunder? Aw, shit. Clearing his throat, he put a hand lightly on Castiel's back. "Okay, so, if I believe you're Cas, then I have to believe you are the one who brought me out of hell. And you're in a tiny body. And you're scared of thunder." It all sounded like a joke to him.

"Castiel, my name is Castiel." Cas let go of him and straightened up. "And I am not usually afraid of thunder." There was a low rumble and Cas shuffled his feet, looking off towards the sound.

"Right." Dean licked his lips and crouched in front of Castiel. "Okay, Castiel. Why are you afraid of the thunder now?"

Castiel huffed and looked the length of his arms, wiggling his fingers. "I think it has something to do with this vessel. The man was over 30, so why is it so small?"

"No idea. Wait... you're in a human's body? Like a demon?" Dean reached into his pocket and pulled out his flask of holy water, tossing over the boy's head quickly.

Cas' face scrunched up and he blew the water droplets away from his eyes.

"He prayed to be a vessel, Dean. It isn't the same." He stood there, water dripping onto the ground from his head.

"Well." Dean shrugged and brought the edge of his t-shirt up to wipe some of the water off of Castiel's face. "I have to check."

"Is there anything else you want to check for? We should get that over with because I'm here for a reason." He looked thoughtful then.

"Fine," Dean said, dropping his shirt and standing up. He went over to the table and pulled off a silver knife. Then he grabbed salt and offered the boy the knife. "You know what to do with that." He didn't really believe the child was going to cut himself, and he planned on just dumping the salt on him.

"A silver knife?" Castiel calmly cut his palm, then hissed and waved it in the air a bit. "Ouch, that isn't supposed to hurt so much." Then he grabbed it with his other hand and held it out towards Dean. "See, see, and my blood is even red."

"Yeah, good that," Dean said, pouring salt on Castiel.

The salt didn't seem to really affect him at all. He was waving his hand around in the air though, and blowing on it.

"Do you really not know what to do with an injured hand?" Dean asked, setting the salt back on a table and grabbing a clean rag. It was like dealing with... well, a child.

"It's fine, it just really hurt for some reason." He stopped waving it around and held it out. "See, almost healed, but I think I need a hug," he said earnestly.

Blinking down at Castiel, he frowned. "Really? A hug?" The hand really was almost healed. Shaking his head, he crouched again and opened his arms. Who was he to deny a child a hug? "Okay then."

Cas smiled brightly and went to him, putting his arms around him and hugging him tightly.

Dean hugged back, a strange warmth filling him as he held the boy close. He still didn't believe this was the being that pulled him from hell, or at least, most of him didn't believe. "There, it's okay, the pain should be gone by now, right?"

Cas nodded. "It's all better now."

"Good." Dean let go of Castiel and pulled away. "Then, what do you want to say to me so I can get you back to your parents so they don't worry about you."

Castiel rolled his eyes, backing away. "Trust me my father is not worried." Then he wrinkled his brow and rubbed his head. "I can't really remember my message though it seemed important at the time."

"It was important enough you knocked out Bobby!" Dean snapped, irritation getting the better of him. "What the hell was it?"

Cas looked at Bobby. "Well, he's not hurt or anything, and I didn't want to play with him." He paused. "Talk, I meant talk."

Crossing his arms, Dean looked sternly at Cas. "Is that really what you meant?"

"Of course. I wonder if I just wanted to introduce myself. It seems as if this child's body makes me think more like a child."

"You think? It's that or you really are a child. So... if you don't have anything to say, let's get you out of here and back home."

"That might be best," Cas agreed. Then he paused, he closed his eyes, he twitched his back. Cas opened his eyes and looked behind him, flexing his back. "That's disturbing."

"What's wrong now?" Dean asked, shaking his head.

"It seems this vessel is not mature enough to support flight. Also," Cas frowned. "I cannot leave it."

"Flight? You fly?" Dean closed his eyes and tried not to think "angel". "Fine, I'll take you home. To your parents. Where are they?"

Cas stared at him. "Really, Dean? You intend to chase after my Father?"

"Chase after? I intend to take you home." Opening his eyes again and looking down at the boy he sighed. "So how do I get you there?"

Cas stared at him. "You do not have the ability to take me home." Then his eyes caught on something and he reached out towards the amulet Sammy had given Dean. "But you do have the ability to find my Father."

Dean looked down at his necklace. "This will get you to your father?"

"It could, it could get us both to Him."

The stress on the word "him" was unmistakable. Instead of commenting, Dean nodded. "What do we need to do?"

"Put your hand on the amulet and think of Him, of wanting to find Him. It will get warm. Then it will be warmer in the proper direction, colder in the wrong one." He sounded a bit excited about the whole idea.

"Uh huh." Dean shook his head, but decided to humor the boy. He put his hand over the amulet and thought of Cas. 'I want to find his father,' he thought at it. Nothing happened. 'I want to find his father!' he thought harder. Nothing. He opened his eyes. "Okay, another idea?"

Cas huffed out his disapproval. He put out his arms towards Dean. "Pick me up."

"Pick you up?" Dean frowned.

Cas nodded. "Please."

Aw hell. Shaking his head, Dean reached down and pulled Cas into his arms. "Fine."

Cas smiled brightly, then reached for the amulet. "I'll activate it for you since you can't."

"Don't you dare hurt it," he said as he narrowed his eyes at Cas.

"Of course not, something like this," Cas shook his head. "I won't." He touched it almost reverently, then closed his eyes and seemed almost to be praying for a time. Finally, he released it and it lay warm against Dean's chest. "There you go."

"Okay. It's warm now." Dean shook his head and started walking around the room. He could feel it getting warmer as he walked in one direction. Turning around and walking in the opposite direction he felt it getting colder. "So it works. Great. Now what? We just drive?"

"That seems to be what you want to do," Cas replied, then he shrugged. "I wouldn't mind seeing my Father if you can find him."

"How long has your father been gone?" Dean asked, walking over to Bobby and looking down at him. He'd have to explain what he was doing to Bobby. Oh, and to Sam.

"It's a secret," Cas looked down at Bobby from Dean's arms. "I'll wake him up but he can't come with us."

Staring hard at Cas, Dean nodded. "Fine. Just you and me. But I have to tell him, so wake him up." He considered his sentence, then added, "Please?"

"Of course, Dean."

Bobby blinked up at him a moment later, conscious again. "That kid packs one heck of a punch. You okay boy?" he asked Dean as he struggled up from the floor.

"Yeah." Dean carefully moved to put Cas on his own two feet. "How are you feeling?" he asked, offering a hand to Bobby.

Bobby took his hand and stood. "Nothing that a good, stiff drink won't set straight." He eyed Cas cautiously. 

"Well we've got that," he grinned. "Then I'll tell you a story and be on my way." He'd make it as short and sweet as he could.

*

By the end of the conversation with Bobby Cas had somehow worked his way onto Dean's lap where he took a nap, sleeping right through Dean's call to Sam. He wouldn't wake up and Dean was forced to carry him out to the car when he left, following the amulet's heat toward Cas' Father.

It was strange going, having a kid in the Impala as he drove from place to place, following the heat of his amulet. Cas never seemed to be hungry, and he ordered for the boy at almost every place they stopped. At least Cas ate the food that was placed in front of him, but he rarely showed interest in anything in particular.

Besides that, Cas' clothes never got dirty, no matter what happened to them. Out in a rainstorm, come into a hotel room and Cas was dry as a bone. Walk through a mud puddle? Nothing on the coat when they got in. Dean had to wash his own clothes over the weeks they were together, but never Cas'.

Most frustrating of all was bathing. Cas didn't know how to. Or at least, he seemed to think he didn't need to. Dean had forced the issue because even if the boy's clothes were clean all the time, nothing was like a good hot scrub. He'd had to go in with Cas the first few times because Cas hadn't known what to do. Cas didn't act like he was nine or ten, it was more like he was five sometimes. The worst being that Dean wasn't sure if he was being scammed by the kid or not. He wondered all the time.

“The more time I spend on the road with you, the less I am certain your “Father” even exists!” Dean snarled, but there was little venom in his words.

"That's impossible, you didn't believe in him in the first place. You can't believe less in something you already don't believe in." Cas sat on one of the hotel beds watching as Dean opened his duffle and pulled out a change of clothes.

It was like going on trips with his brother, except Cas was smaller and more irritating. Tossing his clean clothes onto the bed, he paused. No, Sam was more irritating actually.

"Fine, I don't believe in him still. Whatever. I'm going to take a shower." He tossed his duffle on the ground and looked over at Cas. "Stay here and don't get into trouble."

Cas blinked at him and looked towards the door, then he nodded. "I'll remain here."

"Good, thank you." He walked to the bathroom and then paused. "You're getting a shower tonight too, you know."

Cas rolled his eyes. "If you insist, Dean."

"I insist." What was wrong with people? Showers were wonderful, baths better.

Cas just sighed and turned on the tv that came with the room, flipping through the channels, looking for cartoons no doubt. He seemed to really like them.

Nodding, Dean went into the bathroom and emerged ten minutes later with a towel wrapped around his waist. Freakishly, there was another man in the room with Cas when he got out. An older man with a gaunt face, black hair slicked away from his sharp features wearing an impeccable suit, hands lightly laced over the top of a cane.

"Cas!" he snapped, rushing towards the bed to grab a shirt and pull it over his head. "What have I told you about letting people into the motel room." God he hoped it wasn't a monster of some variety.

"Death isn't a person, he's Death," Cas replied, looking over.

Well that made... no sense. "Um," Dean said, turning to look at the man again. "Sorry about him." Then he looked at Cas. "Cas," he hissed. "It's rude to call people names like that." He grabbed his underwear and tugged them on under his towel.

"I'm not calling him names," Cas hissed back. "I'm calling him by his name."

"Cas, no one is named Death," Dean replied, narrowing his eyes. "That's not a name."

"It's also a title," the man said, deep and smooth voice rolling through the room. Dean could feel power emanating from the man like waves of heat across his skin and he prickled a little in the wake of it. Who was he and what was he doing here?

"And it is rude of us to speak as if Death is not right here," Cas added. He turned to the man. "So what were you saying about the reason for your visit?"

"You are the reason for my visit," Death said. Dean grabbed a pair of pants and tugged them on. "You didn't mesh properly in your vessel, did you?"

He frowned as he looked from Death to Castiel. It was a little disturbing how easily he was starting to come to terms with Cas' way of talking. Now he was calling this guy Death in his mind.

"You're here for Cas?" Dean asked as he tossed the towel on the bed. No one was killing the kid while he was around.

"Nor *for* him, to help him," the man clarified.

"Oh, you're here to fix things." Cas frowned and looked down at his feet. "I see…"

"Is something wrong Castiel?" Death asked gently, leaning back easily in his chair. Even though it was a ratty motel chair, the way the man sat in it made it look like a throne. Dean went over to Cas and sat down next to him.

"What's up kid?" Dean asked.

"As I told you before, being young like this seemed to change things about me. If Death fixes me, I'll no longer have time to look for my Father with you." He looked at Dean with large, blue, piercing eyes.

"Cas, you know the amulet hasn't gotten any warmer for a week now," he said gently.

"If your Father doesn't wish to be found, you know He won't be," Death agreed.

"Yes, but Dean didn't know that," Cas replied, turning unhappy eyes on Death. "Besides, we've been having so much fun, eating food, traveling around in the car, watching cartoons." He bounced a little as he listed the "fun" they'd been having in Death's direction.

"You don't ever seem interested in the food," Dean said with a frown. "You think it's fun eating?" Could have fooled him.

Castiel shrugged. "Things have different tastes. I believe I favor hamburgers, meatloaf, scrambled eggs and sausage. Those foods are very tasty."

"Me too!" He grinned. "I love meats."

"But now it seems the journey is over." Cas turned his eyes to Death again. "I'm surprised you agreed to come."

"I was the only one who wished to do so. Others... well, it seems as though there is some debate on whether or not to do something, and whom ought to do it. Instead of getting involved, I came down. Seems silly to argue the point when the desired outcome is obvious." Death shrugged.

Cas took a deep breath and nodded. Then he turned to Dean and demanded, "I want a hug before I go."

"Um... Okay." Dean shrugged and pulled Cas into his arms. "It doesn't sound like you're going anywhere though," he said, one hand touching Cas' head and lightly ruffling the hair. Even though he said the words though, a part of him felt like obviously things were going to change. He didn't know how drastically, but... no way they were staying the same.

"Trust me I will be. As soon as I'm an adult I'll have to report in." Cas shook his head and hugged Dean very tight. "It's been fun to be a child."

"Never lasts," he sighed, putting his head on Cas'. "Childhood is a dream, fading as you get older. For everyone."

"This is a bit melodramatic, don't you think Castiel?" Death asked.

Cas sighed and disentangled himself from Dean, standing up and walking over to stand in front of him. "I've found children feel things much more strongly and show less restraint. It's rather nice."

"You could try to remember that when you're an adult again," Death said, reaching out a hand to lightly flick Cas' cheek. For some reason, Dean wanted to pluck Cas away from Death, as if Death might actually harm the boy.

"As an adult I have responsibilities which must be met," Cas replied softly.

"Always, but the joy of innocence can still be felt. Smell the flowers sometime Castiel, watch cartoons, eat a burger. Do that in between your responsibilities. There is a war ahead and you know it. Take time out for yourself."

That didn't sound good. "War?" Dean asked softly, but Death didn't even look up at him.

Cas sighed. "I will consider it."

"Are you ready?" Death asked, and Dean felt his fingers itching to do something. Pull them apart, ruffle Cas' hair, hug the boy again, he didn't know.

Cas nodded, his face somber. "Ready."

Death placed his hand on Cas and a white light filled the room. Dean tried to look, tried to keep his gaze focused on them, but the intensity got to be way too much for him and he closed his eyes. A moment later he put his hands over them as well because the brightness was leaking through his eyelids.

Finally a voice said, "There, the way you should be."

When Dean looked there was a man, dressed every bit as untidily as the boy. The clothes fit him perfectly, though, and he was in his thirties. The bright blue, piercing eyes seemed unchanged, however.

"Thank you, Death," the man said in a low, gravelly voice.

"Of course," Death said as he stood up. One hand lightly traced Cas' shoulder and then nodded. "Good, you seem back to normal. Please don't mention it."

"Cas?" Dean asked, eyes traveling up and down the man. He knew it was Cas, but it still felt weird to use that name in conjunction with this man.

"Yes, I apologize for wasting so much of our time. I must return to my garrison and will call on you when the time comes." Cas said turning to look at Dean.

"Was it really a waste?" Dean asked, lifting his eyebrows. Cas had really seemed to have a good time over all so... "I mean..."

"Such feelings have no place in the life I lead. I am an Angel of the Lord Dean, there is no time for me to indulge my curiosity." Cas shook his head. "I must go." Then there was the sound of fluttering wings and Cas was just gone.

"Oh. Um." Dean looked around. That was different. And strange. And uncomfortable.

"Well then, good luck Dean. Please don't mess up anymore," Death said, standing up and heading for the door.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dean asked, turning to look at the older man.

"You'll understand in time." Then he opened the door and left, leaving Dean alone and uncertain and more sad that Cas was an adult than he had ever expected to be.


End file.
